Kenny Rogers Is Reportedly Still In Ill-Health Months After Canceling His Farewell Tour

We’re so sorry to hear this. Months after Kenny Rogers was forced to cancel the remaining dates on his farewell concert tour due to “a series of health challenges,” a source has revealed to Star magazine that the 80-year-old singer is still struggling.

“It’s hard for him to get around. Kenny so wanted to go out on a high note, but doctors told him that to exert himself and perform in this condition could be a killer. He knows now that spending the time he has left with his family is more important,” the insider said of Kenny’s seemingly ailing health.

In early April, the music icon’s manager confirmed the cancelation of Kenny’s farewell concert tour with the following statement: “Kenny Rogers has been working through a series of health challenges. His doctors fully expect the outcome to be great, but they have advised him to cancel all performances through the end of the year to focus on recuperation.”

Kenny with his wife, Wanda. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Kenny’s tour was scheduled to run through the summer with stops in Nevada, California, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New York, and Louisiana. The country star was also planning to perform at the UK’s Blackpool’s Livewire Festival in August but that performance was also scrapped. Since then, Kenny has all but vanished from public life.

Kenny previously announced his retirement in 2015 — just before he embarked on his farewell tour — in order to spend more time with his wife, Wanda Miller, and five children. “No question, I’ll miss the crowds who’ve always been so sweet. And I’ll miss the friendships. It’s hard to retire, but in my heart I want to stay home with my family,” he exclusively told Closer Weekly at the time.

Since two of his kids are teenagers, Kenny noted he was especially looking forward to hanging out with his two youngest sons during his retirement. “My boys are playing football and we went to watch a game. They were so excited about me being there! That’s the kind of thing that, as a parent, you want to be part of as much as you can. It’s not about me anymore. It’s about them,” he said.

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In another past interview with Closer, Kenny admitted it was “going to be very emotional” performing with his longtime friend Dolly Parton for the last time. “I told Dolly, ‘I am going to say goodbye and spend more time with my wife and kids.’ So she replied, ‘It’s been 13 years since we sang on-stage together. You cannot get out of town without us doing something,'” he shared. “Working with Dolly is always emotional because we have so much history together. Dolly is an old and dear friend. You either have old friends or you don’t and I have always had a friend in Dolly. We have always supported each other and have mutual respect.”